A few things I learnt from my “Pivot People” – by Tsegga Medhin

We’re delighted to share the Habergeon platform with our friend, Tsegga Medhin, so welcome to our first guest blog!

In the late 1970’s due to the calamity of war I left home in Africa in search for a peaceful and safer world – London, England. I remember the thrill of taking the hard road, the anxious anticipation of uncharted territory, the crossing of new physical and cultural boundaries. It all seemed impossible but it only took a convincing phone conversation with my sister (pivot person #1). She was the catalyst that helped me to be brave enough to take the uncertain trip of freedom to the UK. Life has been full of beautiful surprises since, and I am forever grateful to all my “pivot people”– mentors, coaches, shapers and especially my two daughters. Pivot people are the ones that create a shift in what I know to be possible for myself and if it were not for them, I might not be even writing this blog.

Our lives are complex, volatile, and unpredictable. Thanks to my “pivot people”, I am more agile and equipped to make a difference by being the difference. Allow me then, to share the five takeaways I’ve gained from them.

1. Live in the “thrive” moment – This is my favorite advice by my daughters Delina and Heran, change-makers and global shapers, as they share the intent of always focusing on what really matters. I see that many times we disconnect from what we love, and what inspires us and pushes us beyond our boundaries. Because of this I have decided to live intentionally authentic in a thrive mode.

2. Create a women’s circle – My sister Lul advises me to find kindred spirits to reaffirm how powerful we are as women. It is true, connection makes magic happen and breaks barriers, especially when we show up in a spirit of solidarity to encourage each other and be our best self. Thanks to Lul I have decided to be at the table – or better yet create a table where our voices are heard.

3. Self care – My spouse advises me to take care of myself first. He shares how the importance of being present for ourselves and people in our lives is restorative. We need to nap, rest well and shut down all electronics when we are with family. I have decided to recharge and refresh with regular workouts and meditation to achieve wellness and clarity and better relationships.

4. Accept failure – My good friend and mentor Dr. Hill, imparts her wisdom about failure, saying “Our version 1.0 is not going to look like our final success, because we have to learn and we have to fail, to adapt.” Dr. Hill, because of you I have decided to digest my experiences and move on, honor my intuition, and accept that it is OK to fail.

5. Be comfortable to be uncomfortable – My late father talked about stepping in to the discomfort zone because it equips us to grow in gratitude. I have learnt that while it is challenging to be in the “d-zone” I am more mindful to accept whatever it is for a higher purpose.

I trust like many of you reading this blog, we owe a debt of gratitude to all our “pivot people” because they help us aspire to be great. They help us answer questions such as Who am I now? Who do I want to become? How are my values aligned with purposeful living? In short they shape us be intentional about our leadership brand.

I owe my “pivot people” gratitude because in the summer of 2015 I was invited to speak at the United Nations in Manhattan on behalf of women and girls to formulate the 2030 Global Sustainable Development Goals. Thanks to them, I unlocked what I call my universal assignment – The Pearl Leadership Institute. It is allowing me to live purposefully by helping marginalized women and girls unlock their full potential forward faster through STEAM (science, technology, engineering, art, and math) career objectives. It is because of the advice of my “pivot people” that I am in the women’s circle that connects me with women leaders and change-makers and to share my story with you on this platform.

It is because of them that I live in the moment – fearlessly, and continue to actively develop, nurture and manage my personal brand.

Have you shared your gratitude with your “pivot people”?
——-Tsegga S Medhin is a global relations expert. She is the President of the UN Women US NC. With the view of driving prosperity and helping create the next middle class; she founded The Pearl Leadership Institute, to promote STEAM education for marginalized girls. She is a speaker, consultant on social responsibilities, social innovation and impact investing. Tsegga retired from IBM with 19 years of leadership experience in operations, marketing and human capital.@TseggaMThe Pearl Leadership Institute

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